MSI Press Blog

Introduction  Various scholarly explanations have been set forth regarding why Islamic reform, a movement preoccupied with reviving Islamic civilization and resisting Western colonialism through the creation of a Muslim civil society, was superseded, in the mid-twentieth century, by Islamic fundamentalism, a movement preoccupied with creating an ‘Islamic state’ by violence if necessary Such explanations can be classified into two major categories: ‘traditional legacy’, and ‘external dynamics’.  The ‘traditional legacy’ category includes works that explain Islamic fundamentalism as a product of the traditional legacy of Islam, which makes no separation between religion and state and which promotes political violence through the emphasis it places on jihad or morally ordained struggle/resistance.Muslim religious scholars, however, strongly discouraged violent political descent. Regarding the confrontation of government authority, Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 1328) wrote: “What is well know...

  Today's book excerpt comes from  An Afternoon's Dictation  by  Steven Greenebaum . PART ONE: THE CALL TO INTERFAITH CHAPTER ONE   In 1999, I’d reached the end of my tether. Over the years, there had been one crushing event after another. The woman I’d intended to spend my life with, who had intended to spend her life with me, had been killed in a senseless traffic accident. My mother, who had lived her life fettered by the chains of patriarchy, had at last broken free and blossomed, recognizing her own self-worth, only to be struck down by cancer after just a few short years of truly enjoying life. And then my father, with whom I’d had major disagreements but whom I loved and honored as my father, had died a humiliating death, plagued by dementia. These were just the tips of the iceberg. I was one angry human. In the privacy of my house, I kept saying, sometimes out loud and sometimes in my mind, “God, you’re there? Really? I want five minutes, and I want ...

  The Severe Trial During the ninth century, the Abbasid khalifah1 al-Mamun (r. 813-833) set out to convert ahl al-sunnah, or the traditionalists who emphasized the authority of the Qur’an and Prophetic traditions, to a theological doctrine held by the Muc tazilah, or the rationalists who emphasized the authority of reason and philosophical principles. Traditionalist scholars were forced to recant their belief in the non-created nature of the Qur’an in favor of the rationalist doctrine which held that the Qur’an was a creation of God. Those who refused were tortured and, at times, executed. In 848, fifteen years after the beginning of the government sponsored inquisition, termed al-Mihnah, or the Severe Trial, by Muslim historians, al-Mutawakkil (r. 847-861) ordered the end of all government sponsored attempts to enforce the rationalist doctrine. Al-Mutawakkil’s decision reflected his awareness that the inquisition had simply not succeeded and that its continuation might ...

  Today is the feast day of St. John the Baptist, and Sula, Parish Cat at Old Mission, has a book that is perfect for the day. The cover of Sains I Know shows the statue of St. John the Baptist in Sula's hometown of San Juan Bautista (St. John the Baptist). Here is Sula's description of SJB. St. John the Baptist Early first Century A.D. The town of San Juan Bautista (St. John the Baptist), where our Mission is located, was founded on the feast day of St. John the Baptist, June 24 (the reason that most of my books have been released on June 24), and named after him. Our Mission was founded on that day, too. In the beginning, the two were very connected. St. John the Baptist is one of the best-known saints, even to non-Catholics. Even so, his exact birth dates are not known. He was born six months before Jesus, whose coming he foreshadowed, and was murdered in the last year of Jesus’s ministry, so we do know the approximate dates—the first 30 or so years of the first century. He ...

  To honor the rare astronomical and spiritual alignment of Purim, Ramadan, and Lent coinciding today, we present our authors who have written books in each of these spiritual traditions. This remarkable convergence of sacred calendars happens only a few times per century, as each tradition follows different systems—the Jewish lunar calendar for Purim, the Islamic lunar calendar for Ramadan, and the Christian calendar (tied to the spring equinox) for Lent. When these observances overlap, they create a unique opportunity for interfaith dialogue and deeper understanding of how different faiths mark periods of reflection, sacrifice, and celebration. And then yesterday (the start of Puri) is also National Thai Elephant Day, a cultural holiday where Buddhist ceremonies are held to bless elephants and their owners. Our publishing house is proud to showcase writers who illuminate these rich traditions through their work. Steven Greenebaum writes about interfaith. Arthur Yavelberg and Am...

The following guest post comes from MSI Press author of the award-winning book,    A Theology for the Rest of Us ,    I always find such works of art fascinating in so many ways. In this case, I notice what is not present as much as what is. This gentleman appears to have lost his heart and gut (instincts?), but his brain is intact. He is alive, yes, but maybe not living. His expression is determined, but weary….or hardened. Note that he seems to be returning from some far away locale across the sea…or maybe has left the buildings and people of that much more familiar place in the background. And what of his…what? It seems too large for the briefcase of a businessman, but too small to be the suitcase of a tourist. Or is it simply a symbol of the “baggage” he carries? Finally, he is alone, with no family or companions. Is that why he is…well…empty? Spiritually speaking, there are many accounts of extraordinary figures who have found Revelation or Enlightenment or some...